A New Year Paradigm: Simon Peter

"2010 offers us a chance to shed our old skin, to look at others and ourselves with clearer lenses. We can do no better in this regard than to return to the rich example the New Testament gives us in the disciples, particularly Peter."

Click here for more on lessons from Simon Peter.

How angry young man turned his life around

"For better and worse, Sam Vega couldn't stop looking back.

Let down by a mother with destructive habits, a father he never knew and the grandmother who moved him to Chicago, Vega struck out on his own at age 18.

But bitter memories of neglect combined with concern for his four siblings kept him from moving on. His failure to forgive undercut his will to succeed, as did a fear that he was echoing the mistakes of his elders by walking away."

Click here for more on this amazing young man.

Dickens vs. Darwin: A Question of Worldview

"Two of the most famous books in the Western canon turned 150 years old in 2009—On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

But these anniversaries were celebrated in vastly different ways. While Darwin’s book was honored around the globe with films and websites and much more, relatively few people took notice that Dickens’s book had reached the same milestone."

Click here for more of Chuck Colson's commentary.

Blind woman learning to be a chef

"A kitchen is a spiritual place for Laura Martinez, a space that arouses her senses, excites her imagination. It's not where she imagined herself finding such satisfaction. When she was too young to understand that she was blind, she dreamed of being a surgeon. She grew up and out of such fantasies and studied briefly to be a psychologist.

But the kitchen beckoned. It lured her away from her family in Moline, Ill., to the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary program at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago."

For more on this amazing woman's experiences, click here.

Transit Archeology: Tour of abandoned subway network offers a glimpse of how the T was built

"Boston’s bars have poured their last drinks. Stragglers are stumbling home. But beneath the modern metropolis, in the bowels of the city, a group of six men wanders abandoned tunnels with heavy coats and flashlights, dodging the occasional rodent, to uncover the lost relics of America’s first subway system."

Click here for a look at Boston's transit past.

Greater Love

"At Christmastime, we’re reminded that our God is the God of great reversals. As we set out humble nativity scenes, we may forget how unthinkable it is that the King of Kings lowered himself not just to be born in human flesh, but in a lowly stable amidst the braying of animals and the smell of manure."

Click here for more on Mark Earley's commentary.

How not to overdo it during the holidays

"Tis the season of temptation -- food temptation, that is. If your office is anything like ours, you've been inundated by sweets galore. At our holiday potluck breakfast, my dear coworkers actually had the nerve to bring super-rich brownies, sugary danishes and the most decadent chocolate cake I've ever tasted. Sigh."

For a healthy dose of good advice, click here.

The Problem of Pain: The Intolerable Compliment

"Why would a good God allow pain and suffering? It’s the age-old question. When we’re experiencing pain ourselves, or watching someone we love experience pain, no answer seems adequate, and our faith faces its severest test.

That’s why, as Ken Boa says on his latest Great Books Audio CD, it was a daring and risky project for C. S. Lewis to write the book The Problem of Pain."

Art for Government’s Sake: Why Art with an Agenda Fails as Art

"Philip Kennicott is uneasy.

As art critic for the Washington Post, it was Kennicott’s job to review a new book called Art for Obama. Now, this art critic is no conservative—on the contrary, he’s about as liberal as they come. And yet, this particular book of art has got him down."

Click here for more on Chuck Colson's commentary.

Good Works: Showing frail women they can still do beauty

"While many garden clubs work to shed the dusty image of white-gloved flower-arrangers for a more modern one of community service, the members of the Glen Arm Garden Club are busy helping others, well, arrange flowers.

On this morning in December, members of the club are making their regular visit to Morningside House assisted living in Parkville, where they help a dozen or so residents create flower arrangements for the dining room and another one each can take to her own room."

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Sacred Heart’s goal is family involvement

"The entrance of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church has an Angel Christmas Tree and a Jesse Tree that looks a lot like a colorful paper wind chime.

The Jesse tree has symbols from the Old and New testaments. Each ornament consists of a symbol that represents a story from the Old Testament."

For more on this heartwarming story, click here.

Human Sacrifice for Gaia: Environmentalism at Its Worst

"Regular BreakPoint listeners know about the inhumane lengths some environmentalists are prepared to go to 'save the planet.'

Some have proposed taxing the parents of newborns several thousand dollars to discourage child-bearing, and thereby reducing CO2 emissions. Others have spoken of 'culling' the human herd."

Click here for more of Chuck Colson's commentary.

Two-legged dog gives hope to disabled Army vets

"For several years, Jude Stringfellow and her Lab-chow mix have toured the country with a simple message: Faith walks."

Click here for more on this amazing canine role model.

The Night Before Christmas from The Baltimore Sun

"Baltimoreans read lines from Clement Clarke Moore's poem, 'A Visit from St. Nicholas,' also known as 'The Night Before Christmas.'"

To enjoy this delightful video, click here.

Religious Freedom Sunday

"Are you concerned about religious freedom in this country? Well, here’s something you can do about it.

Just before Thanksgiving, I was able to participate in a truly amazing moment—the release of the Manhattan Declaration. I truly believe that the Manhattan Declaration will galvanize Christians across denominational lines to stand up for the sanctity of human life, traditional marriage, and for religious freedom."

Click here for more on this important event.

Celebrate the Holiday Season with Self-Sustaining Gifts

"Self-sustaining living is becoming more and more popular in the U.S. as families seek to save money and reduce their carbon footprint by growing their own vegetables, raising their own livestock and cooking from scratch. This trend reflects how the majority of people around the world already live. Help improve worldwide sustainability by giving a gift from the 2009 World Vision Gift Catalog. The catalog features more than 100 gifts that truly make a difference for families in need – including gifts that encourage more sustainable living in communities around the world."

Click here for more on how to give gifts that make a lasting difference.

Bright Jewels: Restoring Victims of Sexual Trafficking

"They sell necklaces with a story. But the story this jewelry tells isn’t about blood diamonds; it represents freedom from a far more subtle, but equally destructive, practice.

It’s a practice that entraps women and children in a hell from which they can’t get away. Kelly Besedick and Ginnie Wagner started Wonderfully Made Jewelry about four years ago to address one of the great injustices—heinous crimes, in fact—of this era: the sex trade."

For more on the story, click here.

Hosting a children's cookie decorating party

"An afternoon of cookie decorating can be a big hit with children, especially if the grown-ups in charge plan ahead and keep the focus on fun.

Here are some tips from Cindy Mushet, author of 'Baking Kids Love' (Andrews McMeel, $20), part of the cookbook line from kitchenware company Sur La Table (surlatable.com). We've added some of our own advice, too, from the front lines."

Click here for some sweet tips!

Designing in the Dark: The DesCours Design Exhibit

"Attention aesthetic adventure-seekers. Take my advice: Put the DesCours 2009 design exhibition on your weekend not-to-miss list. It’s a self-guided nocturnal tour that will take you into shadowy French Quarter courtyards, a mysterious empty bank lobby, the fourth-floor roof of the old D.H. Holmes building, even a shipping container parked beside an abandoned warehouse. In 13 such locations, you will find a series of glowing sculptures and installations by an international cast of 3-D design teams, cut loose from their usual home and business building projects to think outside the box."

Click here for more on the story, including an intriguing video.

Costco brings back Coke: The companies settle their price dispute

Coca-Cola drinkers will find their beverage of choice at Costco Wholesale again soon.

For more on the resolution of this dispute between corporate entities, click here.

Why You Think the Way You Do: God’s Truth Through the Ages

"has been the most powerful force in shaping Western civilization. The problem is, most Christians don’t know about it. But I’ve got a solution."

Click here for Chuck Colson's solution.

Program encourages girls to consider engineering

"Forty area middle-school girls gathered Saturday for a novel engineering program called 'Ready Set Design!' encouraging women into a field where they have been underrepresented.

'You graduate from engineering school and go on to improve an aspect of human life, and make a difference in the world,' a poster on the wall encouraged the young students gathered inside Levering Hall on Johns Hopkins University's Homewood campus."

For more on this program, click here.

South Side beaches going back to nature: Chicago begins 2 South Side restoration projects

"In the late 1990s, the Chicago Park District stopped grooming 11 acres of the man-made Montrose Beach -- and something incredible began to happen.

A dune was formed naturally, and six state-listed rare plant species suddenly began to grow. Migrating birds began flocking to the site, and over time, more than 150 species have been observed, including the federally endangered piping plover."

Click here for more on how mankind and nature can coexist.

Game Plan for Life: Joe Gibbs’ Playbook for Success

"What better Christmas gift to give to a rabid football fan than a book by Coach Joe Gibbs? Especially since the gift Gibbs writes about is an eternal one.

There aren’t many American men do not know the name Joe Gibbs. He’s a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, and former head coach of the Washington Redskins who led the team to three Super Bowl championships. He’s also a three-time NASCAR champion."

Click here for more on Coach Gibbs and his 'Game Plan for Life.'

Interfaith Youth Core founder will be 1st Muslim to deliver keynote address at Greater Chicago Leadership Breakfast

"Eboo Patel's earliest opportunity to find common ground with people of other faiths involved hot dogs.

Embarrassed at age 6 that he had to haul halal hot dogs to a friend's party, he sneaked into the kitchen to hand his kosher franks to the hostess. There, he discovered the Jewish kids doing the same."

Click here to read more of this story.

Participate in a Miracle: Prisoners’ Children Need You Now

"'I want to tell you about a Christmas miracle. And how you can be part of one through Angel Tree.'

The speaker is Mark Earley, president and CEO of Prison Fellowship. This organization ministers to the families of prisoners, in the name of Jesus.

Read about the Christmas miracle he references and how Prison Fellowship is working to make a difference in the lives of the unmentioned victims of crime, the families of the perpetrators."

To learn more about this ministry, click here.

BookTrends: Advent Conspiracy: Can Christmas Still Change the World?

"Rick McKinley, Chris Seay, and Greg Holder have written a book looking at the meaning of Christ's coming to that manger in Bethlehem and the world in general. Take a look at an excerpt from this powerful book."

Click here to learn more.

Achievement program looks to keep kids from getting lost in middle school

"At first the idea of regularly staying after school until 8 in the evening seemed 'cool' to 11-year-old Kaelah Williams, but then the reality sank in that she would have to give up her afternoons to read and do math problems for hours longer than her friends.

But the thin, spirited girl signed up for Higher Achievement anyway and in just two months she has made an exciting discovery while taking part in the after-school program at Collington Square Elementary/Middle School."

Click here for more on how students are discovering that learning can be fun and rewarding.

Dogged by boredom: What is it that makes a person interesting?

"We had just explored the Olympic Sculpture Park at the edge of Puget Sound, with works by Alexander Calder, Claes Oldenburg, Richard Serra, and Louise Nevelson, including an amazing giant cedar log inside a climate-controlled greenhouse, covered with plants and mosses to reproduce the process of forest decay, in which the viewers are said to be part of the art. Freight trains rumble through and under the site, while across the sound to the west, the Olympic Mountains create a monumental counterpoint."

To find out how one man looks at this thorny question, click here.

Back to Reality: Watching Others' Lives, and Watching Our Own

"What’s on TV tonight? Other people’s private lives, often in excruciating, appalling, and grubby detail.

On The Learning Channel, you can watch total strangers try on their wedding gowns while the salon staff makes catty comments about the bride and her family behind their backs. Or watch the Duggars raising their 'Eighteen Kids and Counting,' Jon and Kate and their brood of eight, or the 10 offspring in 'Table for Twelve.'”

Click here for more from Anne Morse.

A lot of kick in them yet: Supporters answer call from Waltham’s Reagle Players

"A stack of donations sits on Robert J. Eagle’s desk, each with a hand-written note from its sender.

'We don’t want to see Reagle Players close,’ says one. Please don’t go away!’ says the next. 'These are very difficult times for most of us, especially the arts. We pray that your financial troubles ease and that ‘the show goes on,’’ reads another."

For more on the effort to save this troupe, click here.

75 great moments (and guys) in men's underwear

"Men's underwear turns 75 this month, assuming you consider the dawn of undergarments the invention of the Jockey brief.

Call us old school. We consider King Tut and his loincloth, not Jim Palmer in his tighty whities, as the first high-profile male underwear model. But in the interest of finding an excuse to celebrate, we're still going to mark this moment by declaring 75 great moments and guys in men's underwear."

Click here for more about this historic event.

New Orleanians can walk in a winter wonderland once again at the Roosevelt

"Kathleen Graythen's childhood memories of Christmas at The Roosevelt in the '50s are vivid, as vivid as that of any youngster growing up in New Orleans who saw the majestic hotel lobby transformed into a winter wonderland every holiday."

Read more about this restored tradition. To visit New Orleans history, click here.

Veterans wall in Schaumburg honors Indians' service

"In his youth, Joe Yazzie wanted to be an artist. But his mother knew he would be a warrior in the proud tradition of his Navajo forebears. He was named for G.I. Joe and was made to run and chop wood in his native New Mexico to keep fit and prepare for war.

'There will be another one,' his mother warned.

She was right. Yazzie was drafted shortly after high school and served a tour in 1964 as an Army machine gunner in Vietnam, joining his brother Harold, a Marine."


Click here to read more of this moving story.

Duckmaster and other odd hotel jobs

"There's more to providing hotel services than sometimes meets the eye. Here are some of the more unusual behind-the-scenes hotel jobs."

Click here for more on unusual hotel jobs.

First Thanksgiving: Iraqi refugee thankful for new life in U.S.

"An Iraqi refugee who fled her native Baghdad last month will give thanks with her American host family for the holiday.

Natalie Ali, 36, worked as a mission interpreter for American troops in Iraq for six years, risking her life as her family’s soul breadwinner. A Shiite Muslim who converted to Christianity, Ali was a target by Sunni spies because she helped Americans. She feared for her life, especially after one of her friends, also an interpreter, was assassinated along with her husband and children."

Click here for more on this family's first American Thanksgiving celebration.

People can hear with their skin, study shows

"Listening is more than a matter of being 'all ears.' People can also hear with their skin, according to new research that deepens our understanding of the senses, showing they can work together but also override one another.

Strange though it seems, scientists are finding that multiple senses contribute to the simplest perceptions. People can see with their ears, hear with their eyes, or hear with a touch."

Click here to read more about this study.

Former World Vision sponsored child named CNN Hero of the Year

"Efren Penaflorida, a schoolteacher from Cavite, Philippines, has won this year’s CNN Hero of the Year Award.

Penaflorida received the honor for his inspiring commitment to help educate street children with his Kariton Klasrum (Classroom Cart) through the Dynamic Teen Company, a group he founded in the 1990’s."

For more on this dramatic story, click here.

God With Us: Us With Them?

"I can’t sing the words of that familiar Advent song 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' without remembering a young boy—a child of a prisoner.

Every year, Patty and I deliver Angel Tree Christmas gifts to the children of prisoners. And I’ll never forget one year in particular, when Patty and I drove into a housing project to deliver our gifts."

Click here to read the rest of Chuck Colson's commentary.

Astronaut's baby daughter born as he circles Earth

"Astronaut Randolph Bresnik jubilantly welcomed his new daughter into the world Sunday as he floated 220 miles above it.

Abigail Mae Bresnik was born as her father circled Earth on his first space shuttle mission, just hours after his first spacewalk."

Click here for more on this very special event.

Three with Chicago ties win Rhodes scholarships

"Two Chicago-area residents and a University of Chicago grad are among the 32 winners of this year's Rhodes scholarships.

The prestigious scholarships provide tuition and a living stipend for two to three years study in any field at the University of Oxford in England."

For more on these winners, click here.

Postal Service to resume North Pole Santa letters

"Wide-eyed children around the world will be hearing from Santa's 'elves' at the North Pole after all."

Click here to read more about North Pole mail service.

Does every little gift really make a life-changing impact for children around the world? World Vision goes around world to find the answer – and the true spirit of Christmas

"Beginning November 19, join World Vision and thousands of people around the world on the 'Spirit of Christmas' tour as a team from the Christian humanitarian agency travels around the globe in search of the Christmas spirit. The month-long tour will feature interviews and stories with children and families in the United States, Ecuador, Cambodia, Zambia and Ethiopia. World Vision’s team will circle the globe highlighting both the heartbreaking circumstances of the poor and the inspiring impact even small donations of a few dollars can make in helping families provide for their children."

Stand Up for Religious Freedom: Now Is the Hour

"Allow me to make a very direct statement. I believe it is time for the Church in this country to stand up for religious freedom.

Especially over the course of the last few years, we have seen repeated efforts—in the courts, in state legislatures, in Congress, and on Pennsylvania Avenue—to erode what has been called the first freedom: religious liberty."

Click here for the rest of Chuck Colson's commentary.

Marching to glory: The Marian Catholic High School Band

"In a series of three stories, reporter Howard Reich traces the struggles of the Marian Catholic High School Band of Chicago Heights, IL. The once-legendary band is struggling to reclaim a national crown. All three stories, as well as a photo gallery and video, await you here."

Click here for the whole Marian Catholic High School Trilogy.

Relief group says simple, effective tactic in global AIDS fight also one of most neglected

"A proven and cost-effective strategy for turning the tide on global AIDS still remains significantly underutilized, World Vision warned in advance of World AIDS Day. Efforts to prevent mother-to-baby transmission of HIV must be urgently scaled up in high-prevalence countries to avoid needless infection of children, the Christian humanitarian organization said."

For more on the upcoming World AIDS Day observance on December 1, click here.

Theater, puppets, opera and cabaret are among the sights to behold at the second New Orleans Fringe Festival

Strange and innovative performances in theater, dance, clowning, puppetry, opera, video, cabaret and other media will take place this weekend at seven official venues in the Marigny and Bywater, as well as at several spaces utilizing this year's new Bring Your Own Venue option -- which include restaurants, private homes and the streets of downtown.

Click here for more on this unusual event.

Journeys with the Messiah: A Fashion Photographer Journeys with Christ

"Successful fashion photographer Michael Belk has turned the lens of his camera and creativity to a new subject: the Messiah in the context of the modern world.

Read about his journey and view sample pages from the work."

Click here read more and view sample pages from the work.

You’re Teaching My Kid What? Exposing the Sex-Ed Biz

"Are you squeamish when it comes to talking with your kids about sex? Well, you’d better get to them fast, before they’re exposed to sex educators in school.

Dr. Miriam Grossman was lecturing at a Philadelphia college about sexual health. The students had invited her to talk about something they’d never encountered in all their years of sex education—the dangers of non-marital sex."

Click here for more on Chuck Colson's commentary.

Save the Children Responds to Post-Hurricane Ida Emergency in El Salvador and Nicaragua

"Save the Children has dispatched emergency teams to assist with the effort to provide relief to children and families in Nicaragua and El Salvador after a devastating late-season hurricane and torrential rains wrought havoc on remote villages in the two countries."

Click here for more on the relief efforts.

Bystanders and Civilization: The Richmond Rape Case

"When our young people show apathy and indifference to human suffering, it’s a sure sign our society is in peril.

On the night of October 23rd, a 15-year-old girl in Richmond, California, was brutally assaulted by as many as seven young men between the ages of 15 and 20."

To read more of Mark Earley's commentary, click here.

Child care pays off in support network for parents

"Everyone may call it child care, but it could just as easily be dubbed 'parent care,' judging by the benefits reaped by those who have kids in high-quality early-childhood settings, according to recent research at the University of Chicago."

Click here to read how child care benefits parents.

Share Your Story of Compassion and You Could Win the Trip of a Lifetime

"As a part of GMC.com's 'Christmas of Compassion,' we're telling the stories of artists who inspire us, not only through their music, but also through their acts of kindness and generosity.

We’ll be featuring a new artist each week, so come back for more exclusive content, free downloads, photos and videos – all the good stuff to help keep you inspired this Christmas season. So inspired, perhaps, that you'll enter to win the trip of a lifetime from Compassion International by telling your 'story of Compassion!'"

For more on the contest and a link to the rules, click here.

Idea man hopes to kick tickets to the curb

"Greg Bukowski is living the impossible dream, Chicago style.

He believes -- believes with the passion of the missionary, the victim, the entrepreneur -- that he has found a way to beat the tyranny of parking tickets on street-sweeping day."

Click here for the rest of this entrepreneurial story.

Messin' with Reality: Why the Gay-Rights Movement Is Playing with Fire

"Our local military museum honors the valor, grit, and teamwork of the men and women in uniform all year. Today, however, it appears to be celebrating something very different.

The other day, after my sons spent the good part of a brilliant fall afternoon climbing on vintage Army tanks, we went inside and were confronted with a display entitled 'Lincoln’s Legacy, Our Freedoms,' marking the bicentennial of our 16th president’s birth. The exhibit asked how society might apply the Great Emancipator’s commitment to human equality today. It was a strange question, given the multiracial, multicultural crowds pouring peacefully through the museum’s great halls."

For more on this perspective, click here.

2012 or Bust: Without Faith, Fear

"Yesterday on BreakPoint, we talked about the popularity of doomsday scenarios. What’s behind the phenomenon? Simple—a lack of faith.

In the film The Day After Tomorrow, audiences were told that global warming could produce an instant ice age. Seriously! In 10,000 B.C., they were told that the pyramids were built by aliens using mammoths for the heavy lifting. Well, this same film director will tell us on the History Channel this month that life as we know it will end on December 21, 2012."

For more on Colson's insight, click here.

No Payments, No Interest, No Future? The Age of Nostradamus

"Here’s a new phrase for you: 'Let us eat, drink, and be merry today, for in 2012, we die.' At least that’s what the History Channel would have you believe."

Click here for more on Chuck Colson's commentary.

Walter Payton always at home in bronze sculpture

"On the night before Walter Payton died from bile duct cancer 10 years ago Sunday, he couldn't speak. Feebly, Payton pointed to his lip as he lay in bed and asked his sister, Pam, to trim his mustache.

That was the image stuck in Pam Payton Curry's mind when she walked into a warehouse four years later to approve the life-sized sculpture of her brother. The sculpture's mustache had to be perfectly trimmed just like Walter requested the last night of his life, Pam told local sculptor Ben Watts."


Click here for more on how a legendary athlete touches the people in his hometown.

Valentine’s Day Card Contest Launched by Save the Children to Engage Kids on Childhood Poverty in U.S.

"In an effort to promote kids unity as a force against the childhood poverty crisis in the United States, Save the Children and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) today announced a Valentine's Day art contest for students across America. The contest and rules are live today at www.savethechildren.org/cardcontest."

To learn more about the contest, click here.

God-Entranced Worldview: Jonathan Edwards’ 'Religious Affections'

"If all you know of Jonathan Edwards is his classic sermon 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,' you don’t know the man who may be America’s most important and original theologian. That’s why if you listen to Ken Boa this month as he discusses Jonathan Edward’s best-known book, 'A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections'—one of my all-time favorites—you’re in for a treat."

Click here for more on Ken Boa's discussion.

Educational Pornography? The Kerfuffle at Maryland

"A Maryland state senator blocked the showing of an X-rated film at a state university. Predictably, the Washington Post ridiculed him for it. But what’s really at stake here?"

Click here for more on the discussion.

Cada Vida Importa: A Pro-Life Message to the World

"This past Saturday, a demonstration in Madrid drew an estimated one and a half million protesters. That’s between 3 and 4 percent of Spain’s entire population, the equivalent of 9 to 12 million Americans gathering in Washington.

What government policy were they demonstrating against? Sending troops to Afghanistan? Was it Spain’s nearly 20 percent unemployment rate?"


To read more of Mark Earley's commentary, click here.

Mission to Save Migratory Birds Lands in Fairfield

"They are scared, dehydrated and hungry, but they are the lucky ones. Nearly 300 migratory birds arrived at the U.S. Coast Guard base at McClellan Business Park in Sacramento late Monday, on their way to a new lease on life.

As workers off-loaded the birds in crates and boxes from a Coast Guard C-130 transport plane, workers with the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) in Fairfield said the quick journey will give many of the birds another chance at life."

Click here for more on the remarkable recovery effort.

Rights, Rover, and Aww Wilbur

"When your rights bump into my rights, who decides between us? The government, of course.

In July 2008, Ian Martin needed a place to stay. That should have worked well for Douglas McCue, the owner of the CornerStone Bed and Breakfast.

Well, maybe it would have in another place, time, and culture."

To read more about what's left after the clash of rights, click here.

Saenger Theatre renaissance is under way

"The crowd that gathers Thursday at Canal and Rampart streets, just outside the boarded front doors of New Orleans' iconic Saenger Theatre, will witness a renaissance moment.

Out of the darkness that has prevailed since Hurricane Katrina, the bulbs of the Saenger's giant marquee are expected to blink on to mark the coming return of the landmark playhouse that for years anchored the performing arts district along the city's signature commercial boulevard."

Click here to read more about this historic restoration.

Save the Children Launches Relief Effort to Assist Kenyan Children Facing Hunger, Deteriorating Living Conditions

"Save the Children has launched emergency food aid programs to reach some of northeast Kenya's most vulnerable children and their families, all threatened by a hunger crisis brought on by consecutive crop failures and withering drought."

For more on the relief effort, click here.

Psychological strategies for surviving the holidays with hearing loss

"The transcript of the latest webchat session from the Hearing Loss Association of America is available in .pdf format. 'Psychological strategies for surviving the holidays with hearing loss' with Dr. Michael A. Harvey, Diplomat in Clinical Psychology, offers tips and tools. Whether you have a hearing loss or know someone who does, you'll appreciate this resource from HLAA."

Click here to access the free transcript.

A Tough Sell: Can We Be Happy without Sex?

Professor Dale Kuehne is a professor of politics at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. At least once a semester, Kuehne can count on a certain question always being asked when he teaches a class called “The Politics of Diversity.”

“Professor Kuehne,” a student will say, “are you seriously going to try to persuade us that if we forgo [sex] outside of marriage we can have a fulfilling life, even if that means we never have a sexual relationship?”

For more on Mark Earley's commentary, click here.

Women in Work Conference set for November 10

"It's time to get inspired, motivated, network and learn! We could all use help making the most of new opportunities in this new economy.

Join Sacramento Momslikeme as we present in partnership with Tri Counties Bank, Women in Work Conference on Tuesday, November 10th in downtown Sacramento at the beautiful Tsakopoulos Library Galleria. Learn how to jumpstart your worklife from a woman who re-invented herself – Good Morning America’s workplace contributor, Tory Johnson."

Click here for more information.

Beyond the BlackBerry: Columbia software firm's services grow as iPhones get more corporate

"Watch out, BlackBerry. The iPhone is creeping into the workplace - and that's a good thing for BoxTone.

The Columbia-based software firm has built a growing business on helping corporations monitor their employees' use of BlackBerry smart phones over the past four years. But the Apple iPhone has been a runaway hit among consumers, who are increasingly using these smart phones on the job - and putting pressure on their corporate information technology departments to support the devices."

Click here for more on BoxTone.

Auschwitz Memorial Launches Facebook Page

To try to reach young people around the world, the memorial museum at Auschwitz has launched a page on Facebook, the social networking site usually home to news and photos about friends, funny videos and the minutiae of modern life.

The page aims to be a forum for discussion, reflection and learning about the Nazi death camp, and many people have left a simple message in English, Hebrew and Polish: "Never again."

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Dogged determination: Cynthia Bathurst works to stop violence by helping animals and people peacefully co-exist

"Any puppy training class will have its share of 'eureka' moments. With endless repetition and a big enough bag of treats, even the most unmanageable dog eventually gets it.

But this, this was special."

Click here for more on this story.

Teen pilot: 'Miracle' he walked away from fiery crash

"A LaGrange, IL senior says he's 'a little bit stiff' but otherwise OK after he crashed his small plane near Peoria over the weekend.

'I'm doing fine. I'm a little bit stiff, but other than that, I'm not hurt,' Scott Hall, 17, told WBBM-AM. 'I'm a bit shaken up but not hurt at all.'"

For more on the story, click here.

‘Not this time’: A Red Sox player who lived the miracle looks back

"Ellis Burks reminisces on the 2004 Red Sox American League championship experience."

Take a look inside the heart of a pro. Click here.

Swine Flu Update: New Flu Shot Locator for Parents and Caregivers

"Just as the Swine Flu vaccine is becoming available across the U.S., parents and caregivers will have a new multi-language resource to help them locate a place close to home to get vaccinated.

With the Flu Shot Locator on Flu.gov, you click your state on a map to get the latest information on where to get either the seasonal or H1N1 (Swine) Flu vaccines. You can also get important updates on other state flu resources."

Click here for more on how to use this resource.

Storefronts come back from the dead, at least for a month or two

"Festooned with orange banners, animatronic monsters and neon spider webs, scores of makeshift Halloween stores are filling the void in recession-battered strip malls, at least for a few more weeks."

Click here for more on this story.

Cheerleaders Welcome Special Needs to the Squad

Watch the cheerleaders at Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, Iowa, and you may want to stand up and cheer yourself. They don't always execute perfect routines; in fact, they may miss steps or clap off beat once in a while. But their fun is contagious.

These cheerleaders are like no others. In the Spring of 2008, cheerleaders Sarah Cronk and Sarah Herr got the idea to expand their varsity squad.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Garth Brooks comes out of retirement with deal to play Steve Wynn's Las Vegas casino

"The e-mail from Garth Brooks was so special, Steve Wynn printed it out and framed it.

The note from the country superstar, in retirement for nearly a decade, asked the owner of the Wynn Las Vegas resort if he could test out the relatively intimate Encore theater — just him and his guitar. What's more, Wynn was asked to invite a handful of his closest friends for the private show."

For more on Brooks' decision, click here.

Sofa Mart and Furniture Row Outlet Raise Over $231,000 To Aid World Vision’s Mexico City Street Children Program

"National furniture retailer Sofa Mart and Furniture Row Outlet, specialty stores of Furniture Row Companies, have donated over $231,000 to aid the estimated two million street children in Mexico City.

The charity campaign titled, 'Hope Is Always In Style,' allocated $20 for every sofa sold from 8/19/09 through 9/23/09. Those proceeds will benefit World Vision’s 'Niños de la Calle' (street children) program which assists in the wide spread problem of homeless children in Mexico City."

Click here for more on the program.

'Twitter Bible' Converts Scripture into Mini Messages

A new so-called “Twitter Bible,” which summarizes the over 31,000-verse Bible into nearly 4,000 short-form tweets, is being released at the Frankfurt Book Fair this week.

Formally named And God Decided to Chill, the German language book is the compilation of tweets by more than 3,000 German Christians who participated in the church project earlier this year.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Turnaround at Brockton High Emphasis on literacy brings big MCAS improvement

"Brockton High School has every excuse for failure, serving a city plagued by crime, poverty, housing foreclosures, and homelessness.

But Brockton High, by far the state’s largest public high school with 4,200 students, has found a success in recent years that has eluded many of the state’s urban schools: MCAS scores are soaring, earning the school state recognition as a symbol of urban hope."

Click here for more on how Brockton has overcome the odds.

At Work in the World: God’s World News

"How do you help your kids understand the world from a Christian perspective? Well, I’ve got a good tip for you.

In the early 1980s, Joel Belz, who would go on to become the founder of World magazine, had five daughters in grade school or getting ready to head there. He was eager to show them how a Christian worldview had something to say about everything they were going to be studying."

For more on this story, click here.

Chicago marathoners tell their stories: They ran for different reasons -- and finished

"The elite who crossed the finish line in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday competed for glory, competition or money. But most of the 34,792 people who started the race in the cold morning hours weren't elite. Many would end their races long after the top finishers."

Click here for the stories behind the Marathon.

African-American gospel fans embrace white choir in national competition

"For nearly four hours Monday night, about 7,000 people, almost all of them African-American, made a joyful noise unto the Lord — singing along with gospel classics, cheering on their favorite choir and praising God.

They were attending the St. Louis regional finals for 'How Sweet the Sound: The Search for the Best Church Choir in America.'"

Click here for more of this melodious story.

Goats help planned rec center take a bite toward progress

"The decrepit mansion once served as home to the president of the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, but two decades of brush has grown and, along with vandals, has made it uninhabitable.

Cue the goats."

Click here to read more.

Hospitals ramp up patient amenities

"Free wireless Internet service, live plants, reclining chairs, European showers, flat-screen TVs, and pleasant views more often describe plush hotel accommodations than sterile hospital rooms.

But more health care facilities are now offering those amenities, as patients demand comfort and privacy in addition to quality care, executives say."

For more on the hospital upgrades,click here.

Adagio for Souls: God's Gradual Work

"God has begun the gradual metallurgy of fall. Outside my window, down to the left, He’s refining one tree into pure gold.

It quivers ever so slightly each day as it moves from one degree of gilded glory to the next. Just beyond the edge of the dark green forest, I can see touches of copper and bronze. But the furnace of change heats so gradually, I cannot perceive exactly how the vista has altered from the day before. Like most things God does, it’s subdued, unhurried, and steady."

Click here to read more.

Pet blessings

"Every year, some churches in Chicago invite parishoners to bring their pets with them to Sunday services, where the furry creatures receive blessings from the pastor.

Here's a few images from a 'pet blessing' held Sunday by Grace Episcopal Church at Dearborn Station in the South Loop."

Click here to view the story and accompanying photo slideshow.

Former foster child in Chicago now a million-dollar scholar

"Derrius Quarles leans back in his seat and methodically analyzes Aristotle's theory of truth during freshman honors English class at Morehouse College.

He strides across campus in a navy blue tailored suit and a bold red sweater handing out business cards that boast 'Student/Entrepreneur/Leader.'

But behind the 19-year-old's dauntless appearance is a past that few on campus know."

For more on this amazing young man, click here.

Eat the Panda: Not Merely Another Animal

"Consider your average panda, the endangered, cute-as-a-button, roly-poly bear. Should mankind save the panda? Like everything else, that depends on your worldview."

Click here for more on Chuck Colson's opinion.

Becoming the 'Others': Christianity in the Media

"In modern secular American culture, believers in Jesus Christ are increasingly being painted as 'the other.'

'The other' is any individual or group defined as being different in some fundamental way and therefore not belonging. In literature and in history this 'otherness' is often based on race, gender, religion, behavior, or appearance."

For more on Mark Earley's commentary, click here.

The weight of the world can't stop this 76-year-old powerlifter

"At 76 years old, Ray Curtis might be expected to take it slow, devote his days to beachcombing or reading or other quiet hobbies.

But the New Orleanian devotes his days to barbells at the Jewish Community Center on St. Charles Avenue. And countless hours spent working out are paying off."

Click here to learn more about this amazing senior citizen.

The Desert Shall Rejoice: The Legacy of Norman Borlaug

"One of the most influential and important figures of the 20th century recently died—Norman Borlaug. If you never heard of Borlaug, you are not alone. His face never appeared on the cover of People magazine, and the cable networks didn’t cover the story of his passing 24/7.

If Borlaug actually had been famous, his claim to fame would have been that, as the father of the 'Green Revolution,' he saved hundreds of millions, perhaps even a billion, lives. As one writer put it, Borlaug’s work is why 'food today is cheap and widely available, and why famines have become relatively rare events.'

Click here for more of Mark Earley's tribute to Norman Borlaug.

'Signature in the Cell': Information and Intelligence

"In recent years, there have been several important books about intelligent design that go to the debate about evolution and the origins of life. Bill Dembski’s The Design Inference was first. Then along came Darwin’s Black Box by Michael Behe, showing the irreducible complexity of the cell, which casts grave doubts on Darwinian evolution as an explanation for life and higher life forms."

Click here for more on this topic.

You May Have Been Injured: The Need for Tort Reform

"I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I had an 'Aha!' moment watching the news!

Just a week or so ago I was watching the news and, of course, the topic was health care reform. All of a sudden, I realized one thing that needed to be fixed when it comes to health care. It wasn’t anything the talking heads were talking about that convinced me. It was a commercial."

Click here for more on Chuck Colson's commentary.

Fifth Round of the ABC’s Children’s Picture Book Competition

"Christian author Michelle Medlock Adams is among the finalists of the 5th annual ABC's Children's Picture Book Competition.

The competition began with 175 entries from across the nation. View the competitors and vote for your favorite among the finalists."

To read the finalists and cast your vote, click here.

Hey sailor! Tattooed food may be next

"According to FoodProductionDaily.com, a daily online news service aimed at food and beverage makers, the Food and Drug Adminstration’s decision on food tattoos is 'imminent.'”

Click here for the rest of the story.

Can your family live without television this week?

"Today begins TV Turnoff Week. The idea is to keep your television off through Saturday.

Do you think you could do it? Do you even want to live a life that doesn't include morning cartoons and evening news?"

High schooler with Down Syndrome scores TD

A freshman at Benton High School in St. Joseph, Mo., is being treated like a VIP after scoring the only touchdown for his team in a losing game.

Matt Ziesel, 15, has Down Syndrome.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

10 most valuable brands in 2009

"Each year, branding industry group Interbrand ranks companies by the amount of revenue that is attributable to their brands, using a formula that takes into account the brand's future strength and its role in creating demand. The firm assigns a monetary value to each brand and measures annual growth, in this case from July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2009."

Click here for the Top Ten.

Free software can pay off in savings and performance

"If there's one price everyone can get behind, it's free. While you sometimes get what you pay for, that's not always true with computer software. Some free programs are very high quality and even superior to paid software.

Students on a budget or users looking to take advantage of new operating systems by Microsoft and Apple can find free substitutes for pricey programs that fit their needs."


For more on free software, click here.

Become Like a Little Child

"On more than one occasion, Jesus tells his disciples to become like little children.

The most famous is when the young mothers try to get near Jesus so he can bless their infants. When the disciples block them, Jesus rebukes his disciples sharply."

Click here to read more.

Swann Galleries to Auction Virginia Man's Rare Bibles

In 1782, during the waning days of the American Revolution, Philadelphia printer Robert Aitken obtained the authorization of Congress to print a rather patriotic Bible. The tome would be printed in the Colonies, independent of the authority of the King of England, who had slapped an embargo on Bibles (and almost everything else) to the rebellious New World.

This endorsement by the secular of the spiritual would have been a flagrant violation of the church/state divide -- but it was nine years before that concept would be codified and ratified in the First Amendment. So Aitken printed 10,000 copies of his pocket-size Scripture, with the congressional plug on the very first page (Congress "recommend[s] this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States.")

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Toy wars are for stores

"Forget price wars. When it comes to selling toys this holiday, it's real estate that matters.

Just look at Toys 'R' Us.

The Wayne, N.J.-based toy seller is barreling into the holiday season by adding 1 million square feet of toy-selling space from October to January under the name Holiday Express."

10 New Ways to Eat Zucchini

"Abundant in the fall, but available year round, zucchini is a fantastic vegetable that can stand on its own in any dish. But if you have picky eaters to feed, these recipes make it easy to sneak all the fantastic nutrients of zucchini into these tasty dishes."

Dive in to these delicious ideas by clicking here.

Recycled glass used to make eco-friendly pavement

"Drink beer. Help the environment.

That could be the message of a Wisconsin-based company that manufactures eco-friendly pavement from recycled beer bottles and other glass. The pavement, known as FilterPave, is about 40 percent porous, so it can trap pollutants that would normally be swept away into drains and streams."

Click here for more about this exciting development.

Medal of Honor recipients say you can be hero too

"They were all dead men who refused to die.

Outnumbered by the enemy, they risked everything to save the soldiers around them -- and they succeeded.

They are heroes, and they have the hardware to prove it. When more than 50 of the 95 living recipients of the Medal of Honor meet in Chicago this week for their annual convention, they'll form one of the nobler gatherings this city has seen. Never before have the Medal of Honor recipients convened here."


To read more about these special people, click here.

Book Review - 'Breach of Trust' by DiAnn Mills

"When DiAnn Mills takes on the CIA as a subject, her promise to 'Expect an Adventure' takes on a completely new dimension.

In 'Breach of Trust,' Mills recounts the story of Mikaela Olsson, survivor of a failed CIA mission. She has left the CIA, her old identity and the world she knew. Now a small town librarian known as Paige Rogers, she is trying to build a new life and protect those she left behind."

Click here to read more.

At 53, I’ve finally reached the age of reason

"A paper presented yesterday at the Brookings Institution contains some ego-bolstering news for 53-year-old financial bloggers like yours truly: People make better financial decisions at my age than at any other."

For more on the subject,click here.

Ark. baby born 9-9-09 has sibling born on 8-8-08

"At least it will be easy to remember their birthdays.

An Arkansas couple welcomed a new baby girl into their lives Wednesday -- giving her the birthdate of 9-9-09. Andy and Alison Miller's newest daughter Molly Reid will come home to sister Campbell, who was born on August 8, 2008, or 8-8-08."

Click here for more on this interesting family.

Harvard unleashes a historic sacred cow

"The skinny beast with the enormous ears and bell around its neck served three purposes this afternoon as it roamed about a cordoned-off patch of grass on Harvard Yard.

It allowed retiring Harvard professor Harvey Cox, who for 44 years has held the oldest endowed chair at a US university, to finally lay claim to the Hollis Professor of Divinity’s centuries-old right to graze his cow in Harvard Yard, which a colleague of his said was the equivalent of parking privileges in the 1700s."

Click here for more on this bovine event.

NEVs, low-speed cars dubbed 'neighborhood electric vehicles' get ready for life in the fast lane

"Move over hybrids; modified golf carts are headed from the fairways to the roadways in Illinois, offering an incongruous yet eco-friendly alternative for those satisfied with more leisurely travel.Dubbed 'neighborhood electric vehicles' and retrofitted with safety features, the new category of mini-cars will be street-legal beginning Jan. 1. Operating for pennies per mile, limited to 25 m.p.h. and restricted to local roads, the battery-powered buggies are quietly generating buzz."

For more on these amazing little vehicles, click here.

Paving the Way: Worldview and Evangelism

"This week, we launched a major and exciting initiative: the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Its purpose is to teach and pass on what I’ve learned through my 36 years as a Christian, and 33 years working in prisons and teaching worldview.

Through this project, we hope to both revitalize the American church and see the Center become a long-term resource for people coming along after me."

Click here for more on the Colson Center for Christian Worldview.

Cancer awareness project takes flight

"A rainbow of 1,000 lovingly folded paper cranes swings from the ceiling of the outpatient cancer clinic at Akron Children's Hospital.

Strings of colorful beads and buttons from the clothes of Lydia Miyashita link the cranes, along with dozens of pictures of the smiling 5-year-old Orrville girl just months before her death."

Read more here.

Moths as good as mice for many drug tests - study

"Moths, caterpillars and fruit flies could soon take the place of millions of mice used every year by scientists testing drugs, researchers said Tuesday.

Biologists have discovered that certain key cells in mammals and insects react in the same way when attacked by infections and produce similar chemical reactions to fight them off."

Click here to read about this study.

The Great Nine-to-Five Opportunity

"Does your work matter to God? As we answer a phone, as we type a letter for the 18th time for a boss who never seems to make up her mind, as we close a million-dollar deal, as we change a diaper, as we make an arrest, how many of us feel that this is really for God?"

Click here to read the rest of this message.

A Unifying Vocation: Why development work and gospel work cannot be put asunder

"In 2002, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof proclaimed evangelicals the 'new internationalists,' lauding us for engaging such issues as sex trafficking, slavery, and HIV/AIDS. We actually became internationalists with the blossoming of the modern missions movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Wherever missionaries took the Good News, they contributed to development by expanding literacy, promoting public health through sanitation, diet, and medicine, and improving the lot of women, children, and orphans.

But nearly ever since, we have debated the wisdom of faith-driven development work."

For more information, click here.

High-speed rail: Train cars, locomotives may be on track for rebound

"Smack among the vast green and gold farm fields of southern Illinois, a steel graveyard filled with unwanted, broken-down locomotives symbolizes the weak state of the train-manufacturing industry in the United States.

A fertile opportunity lies ahead, however, for entrepreneurs who figure out how to safely, comfortably and economically transport passengers at higher speeds than today's Amtrak service over most of the nation."

For more on the future of rail service, click here.

What goes up: Ind. firefighter skydives 100 times in one day to fight smoke deaths

"An Indianapolis firefighter had a real up-and-down day on Friday by skydiving 100 times in southwest Ohio. Joe Frolick made the jumps Friday at the Warren County Airport near Lebanon. He said he wanted to raise awareness and money to fight fire deaths from smoke inhalation."

Click here for more on Joe's skydiving marathon.

Camping Labor Day weekend? Mosquitoes may invade more than your tent as leading Wi-Fi provider partners with End Malaria campaign

"As campers flock to the outdoors this Labor Day weekend, they may be surprised when mosquitoes show up on their computer screen as well as outside their tent.

Vacationers in 775 campgrounds across 48 states will see a 30-second video prior to accessing the Internet, featuring a buzzing noise, information about malaria, and the opportunity to donate a bed net to protect a child in Africa."

For the buzz on this campaign, click here.

BookTrends: Treasured: Knowing God by the Things He Keeps

"A battered cardboard box arrived by mail a few weeks after my grandfather’s death, postmarked from the small West Texas town where he lived most of his years, the town where a crumbling cemetery now cradled his remains.

Inside the box, suspended in weightless drifts of white Styrofoam, a smaller, more pungent box was buried. An old cigar box."


Click here for more on Leigh McLeroy's new book.

Perinatal Hospice: The Value of a Life

"The hospice movement is a wonderful expression of the culture of life. In a very encouraging development, the movement is growing up in an unexpected way."


Click here for more on Chuck Colson's commentary.

How Do Astronauts Check Their Kids' Homework?

When Nicole Stott goes out on her first spacewalk she knows her seven-year-old son Roman will be watching.

Lots of moms have jobs, and lots of moms figure out how to make job and family work. When a parent is an astronaut there are extra challenges. It's a high-risk, high-altitude -- and high-profile -- job.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Tips to Help Family Caregivers Save Both Time and Money

"How often does it occur to you that saving time and saving money are two sides of the same thing -- several times a day, right? The more time we spend caring for our parents and other elderly family members, the more deeply it cuts into our ability to work and earn an income. As summer turns to fall, kids go back to school, and work ramps back up from the August lull, caregivers get stretched even thinner. It's the perfect time to try some relatively simple strategies that could reduce your caregiving burden."

Click here to read more.

Federal government to buy land for Flight 93 memorial

Pennsylvania landowners around the September 11, 2001, crash site of Flight 93 have reached an agreement with the federal government allowing construction of a permanent memorial there, the government announced Monday.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the National Park Service has "reached agreements with all the landowners needed" to establish the permanent memorial for the 40 people killed in the terrorist hijacking nearly eight years ago.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Missing boaters endured a 'survival test,' says rescued boater

"Rescued after spending eight days lost at sea, Tressel Hawkins was happy to be back in Texas.

'Actually, it feels great to be on solid ground,' he told CNN on Sunday.

Hawkins, 43, and his fellow boaters, Curtis Hall, 28, and James Phillips, 30, set out to catch swordfish and marlin when they set sail about 100 miles south of Matagorda Bay in Texas. But one night early on during their trip in the Gulf of Mexico, Hawkins was jolted by a 'rude awakening.'"

Click here for more on the rescue.

Plant a Row for the Hungry

"Since 1995, American gardeners have donated over 14 million pounds of herbs and vegetables to feed the hungry in our local neighborhoods and communities. "


Click here to learn more about this project.

Job hunting: Networking, persistence can pay off

"With the job market still gloomy, people could use some helpful advice and encouragement about how to find work. On my blog I asked for successful job seekers to share their uplifting stories."


Click here for more jobhunting tips.

You will see more progress: Millions of dollars go into Coast projects

"The scars are still there from Hurricane Katrina four years after the storm hit, but so are concrete signs South Mississippi is moving ahead stronger than ever.

Soon after the storm, Gov. Haley Barbour challenged the Coast to rebuild bigger and better. Or, he said, area residents will have failed future generations."

Click here for more on the progress since Hurricane Katrina.

On Science and Origins: A Letter to Swillpit

"Despite some intensive personal coaching from a seasoned Tempter, Swillpit, it seems, has been having trouble with his earthly charge.

This has brought about an occasion for a “teaching moment” from his Mephistophelian Mentor..."

Check out this commentary in the tradition of "The Screwtape Letters" by clicking here.

T.G.I.Thursday

"Workers of the world, unite in giving Utah a round of applause. The Beehive State has made Thursday the new Friday, and by proving the benefits of this condensed calendar, Utah has brought us all closer to the dream of a shortened workweek."

Click here to read more.

St. Monica — Offering Hope for Mothers

"As a woman who persevered in a difficult marriage, dealt with a cantankerous mother-in-law who shared her home, and prayed unceasingly for a wayward son, St. Monica serves as a wonderful role model for wives and mothers who are struggling in their vocation. St. Monica was born to Christian parents in 333. She was married at a young age to a pagan. Her husband Patritius was a government official in Tagaste. He had a violent temper and was unfaithful. As a result, her marriage was very unhappy. Her equally unpleasant mother-in-law also lived with them and did all in her power to make Monica’s life harder. Monica’s difficult home situation was well-known and she served as something of a role model to other suffering wives and mothers in Tagaste as she patiently endured."

Read more here.

Elderly compete for Ms. Missouri Nursing Home crown

There are no extravagant prizes or evening gown competition, though some contestants prefer to wear a fancy dress or adorn their wheelchairs or walkers with flowers. But the elderly women vying for the Ms. Missouri Nursing Home crown are as thrilled as any twentysomething striding the stage at a Miss America pageant, the Associated Press reports.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Making A Personal Medication Record: Preventing adverse medical effects

"Do you know what medications your parents, grandparents, or older loved ones are taking? How about vitamins and over-the-counter items?

Making a list of everything and taking it to a doctor to make sure nothing interacts adversely is a very good idea.

Creating a personal medication record could save your life, or the life of someone close to you."

To learn more about a personal medication record and how it can help, click here.

70 years later, we still feel the echoes of ‘Oz’

Ruby slippers. If I only had a brain. We’re not in Kansas, anymore. I’ll get you, My Pretty, and your little dog, too. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. That’s just the tip of a pop-culture iceberg, a towering mountain of nostalgia and influence that rises above most movie fare in a time when the majority of entertainment seems fairly disposable.

On Aug. 25, 1939, “The Wizard of Oz” was released into theatres nationwide and began its not-so-classic journey toward classic status.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Answers Offered for Times of Loss, Uncertainty

"In uncertain times such as Americans are facing, friends Wilson Adams and David Lanphear are unafraid. They've already journeyed through heartbreaking losses to find healing and hope at the end of the tunnel."

Read more about this book here.

12 Signs You Probably Don't Have Alzheimer's

"Are you worried that you might have Alzheimer's or another form of dementia? Many people are a bit over-worried. Watching a family member with dementia decline is enough to make anyone secretly fear his or her own occasional memory lapses or confused moments.

It's worth emphasizing the flip side to those who are in midlife and coping with work and sandwich-generation demands. The statistical odds indicate that you're probably OK. I don't say that to make light of Alzheimer's disease or the horrible fact that early-onset Alzheimer's cases are on the rise. And I would urge anybody nagged by suspicions to get them checked out pronto."

Click here for more detail.

Youth Group Impacted by Volunteering at Shepherds Ministries

"Students from the Scofield Memorial Church youth group had the chance to take a missions trip to Shepherds Ministries . However, while they ministered to the residents, it was actually the residents who taught them more. "


Read more about this mission trip here.

A passion for pinball

"The quarter goes in, and then the magic begins. Lights flash, bells ring, balls roll, flippers flip.

David Silverman is in pinball heaven. And he barely had to walk out his back door."

Click here to flip on over to the story.

Free Software Download Offers Info about Your Computer

"Belarc, Inc. offers a free download of its popular Belarc Advisor software for home use. This version includes features such as automatic discovery of all network attached devices, such as network printers, routers, and computers, including those running Unix, Linux and Mac operating systems. The newest Belarc Advisor also shows when each software application was last used, a capability not previously available to home users."

Click here to learn more and access the free download.

Friend for Andrea: Autistic teen's quest to fit in

Thirteen-year-old Andrea Levy ticked off a mental list of rules to follow when her guest arrived: Greet her at the door. Introduce her to the family. Offer a cold drink.

Above all, make her feel welcome by letting her choose what to do.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

God and Science Do Mix: The Creator's Interference in Creation

"In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that is replete with unintended irony, cosmologist Lawrence Krauss says, 'Science and God Don’t Mix.'

His message centers on this quote from geneticist J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964):

My practice as a scientist is atheistic. That is to say, when I set up an experiment I assume that no god, angel or devil is going to interfere with its course; and this assumption has been justified by such success as I have achieved in my professional career. I should therefore be intellectually dishonest if I were not also atheistic in the affairs of the world."

Click here to read more on this topic.

The Cure for the Anxious Heart

"Historians will probably call our era 'the age of anxiety.' Though we have it easier than our forefathers, we have more uneasiness."

Read more here.

Heroine for Life: Lila Rose Takes on Planned Parenthood

"Feeling more discouraged than ever about the state of abortion in this country? You think there’s no hope? Well, think again. Find out more."

Click here to learn more about a courageous young woman who champions the unborn.

Bob Wery of Arnold has walked 40,000 miles at church track and path

"There are those who walk every day for exercise, and then there's Bob Wery, 79, of Arnold. He's almost in a realm of his own.

Wery recently logged the stunning total of 40,000 miles walked on the indoor track and outdoor walking path at First Baptist Church of Arnold since 2001, when he started keep track of his mileage."

Click here to catch up with this fascinating fellow.

Baby steps and big gains: Urban College program guides day-care entrepreneurs toward expansion, success

"Two years after opening a small day-care center in her apartment, Jacqueline Bedoya is expanding. Where she was previously allowed to care for as many as six children, her license to operate the business was upgraded to allow as many as 10. She hired her 18-year-old daughter as an assistant, and thanks to the income she’ll get from the additional clients, she and her husband were able to buy a three-family home to accommodate the business."

Learn more about this program by clicking here.

Amish newspaper succeeds the old-fashioned way

"The writers' grievances came in the form of angry letters, carried over bumpy rural roads to the newspaper office serving the Amish community.

In a world where news still travels at a mail carrier's pace, the farmers, preachers and mechanics responsible for filling The Budget threatened to go on strike if the 119-year-old Amish weekly went ahead with its plan to go online."

To read more, click here.

Art Treasures Off the Beaten Path

"People from all around the world travel specifically to visit New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Walking through the Museum of Modern Art is like visiting an art history textbook, and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco has one of the largest collections of Asian art and historical objects anywhere.

But did you know that at the University of Iowa, you can see German Expressionism and its influence play itself out in artworks spanning a century? Or that a little town in West Texas and a pair of small cities in the Rust Belt are hotbeds of contemporary art? Many of the finest art experiences in the United States are off the beaten path -- some pretty far off."

Click here for more hidden art treasures.

Twitter forcing a strategy switch for businesses

"Brand power takes on a whole new meaning on Twitter, where more than a million people follow Sockington, a tweeting feline who muses about litter boxes and salmon.

Companies would like to emulate that kind of success without drawing catcalls."

Click here to join the tweeting.

Reeling in the fun at Pocomoke River State Park

"Take away the boardwalk fries, the crowded streets, the saltwater taffy, the 'I'm With Stupid' T-shirts, and what do you have?

Pocomoke River State Park."


Click here to join the fun.

World Vision awarded $49m USAID grant to lead health, anti-poverty program in Mozambique

"International humanitarian agency World Vision has received a $49.4 million grant from the U.S. government for projects improving health and livelihoods in Mozambique’s Zambézia Province with an innovative set of approaches.

World Vision will lead a consortium of local and international partners in the five-year program, including Adventist Development and Relief Agency, ACDI/VOCA, International Relief and Development, The Johns Hopkins University, Red Cross Mozambique and Vanderbilt University."

For more on this story, click here.

Home sales rise from 1st quarter to 2nd

"U.S. home sales grew in the second quarter in 39 states, another sign that the ailing housing market is finally coming to life."

Click here for more on this positive sign.

Modern and Modest Girls Rock!

"Author and syndicated Catholic talk show host, Teresa Tomeo, teamed up with Molly Miller, and Monica Cops, putting their heads and hearts together to come up with a breath of fresh air for today’s young girls.

Their series, All Things Girl, published by Bezalel Books includes 6 titles, two of which are: Girls Rock! and Modern and Modest . The series speaks about the dignity at the heart of every girl created in the image and likeness of God and does it in a very fun and appealing way. The books are generous in size and filled with colorful and attractive designs to capture a young girl’s attention."

Click here to read more about these books.

Angry Mobs: Protesting and Civil Discourse

The media is in a near panic over those protesting the President’s health care plan. They see conspiracy and the “R” word. And they also have short memories.

The left-leaning media has, as far as I’m concerned, hit a new low."

Click here to read more of Chuck Colson's commentary.

More happiness may come with age

Richard Rose used to challenge his wife, Joyce, if he thought she was misstating something, but these days he lets it go.

At age 87, he's found that as people get older, they tend to "mellow out" when it comes to arguments. Nowadays, devoting time each day to swimming and reading, Rose feels happier than he did in his 40s.

"As you get older, if you're wise, you avoid all stress," said Rose, who is retired and lives with his wife in Palm Beach, Florida.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Understanding How Weeds Are Resistant To Herbicides

"In a little over seven hours, University of Illinois weed scientist Patrick Tranel got more genetic information about waterhemp than in two years time in a lab. The genetic information was obtained using pyrosequencing technology in the Keck Center at the U of I. The genetic sequence will allow scientists to study herbicide resistance in waterhemp."

Click here to read more.

12 fun facts in pickled history

People have been eating pickles ever since the Mesopotamians started making them way back in 2400 B.C.E. Here are some even more important things you should know about them.

Click here to read these pickled facts.

Sow in Tears, Reap in Joy - the Spirit of Enniskillen Trust

"In a deeply divided society and following the 1987 Enniskillen bombing, the Spirit of Enniskillen Trust was inspired by the late Senator Gordon Wilson to support young people into making their own contribution towards dialogue, learning and change."

For more on how Senator Wilson planted seeds of forgiveness following the death of his daughter in a terrorist act, click here.

Use This Sleep Position to Fight Back Pain

"If you’ve got a testy lower back, here’s something you can do in your sleep that might help: Sleep on your side.

Health experts say that this position puts less strain on your spine than sleeping on your back or your stomach does."

Click here for more on getting a good night's sleep.

The end of the argument? With GPS, the fight over maps or directions may be a thing of the past

"A year and a half ago, Jane Tufts received a Magellan GPS navigation device as a Christmas gift from her husband, Chuck. Her sense of direction is decent, but she’d grown tired of printing out directions every time she was going someplace new and trying to follow them while driving."

Need directions to the rest of the story? Click here!

Fighting Malaria: World Vision to distribute, test next-generation bed nets

"World Vision will distribute Vestergaard Frandsen’s next-generation anti-malaria bed nets in Zambia beginning next month to better protect households in malaria-endemic communities where the mosquito-borne disease is a top killer of children.

The new PermaNet 3.0 mosquito nets are expected to be more effective than previous models in two ways: they contain an ingredient that increases efficacy of the insecticide and they have stronger sides to improve durability."

Click here for more on how World Vision is fighting malaria.

Puzzles, Games Protect the Brain

"If you are trying to decide what to buy Grandma and Grandpa for their birthdays, consider a board game or good book. Why? A recent study shows that increased participation in activities that stimulate the brain may delay onset of dementia-related memory decline in older seniors."


Read more about this study here.

Listia is like EBay, except everything is free (almost)

A new auction site, Listia, allows you to bid on items using no-cost credits instead of money.
You get 500 credits just for signing up, and you can use them to bid on a variety of items including used books and televisions.

You can also sell your own stuff on the site -- the number of credits you get from the high bidder can be tucked away for your own bidding.

And so on and so forth in this kind of utopian version of EBay.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Support Children in Need with a Solar Power Lamp

"For every Sunnan lamp purchased in IKEA stores, IKEA will donate a Sunnan lamp to children in developing countries in conjunction with a UNICEF program. The lamp, which runs on solar cells, provides light for children who were previously unable to read, write and draw after sundown due to lack of electricity."

Click here to shed more light on this story.

Quick Tips for Maintaining an Organized Kitchen

"Organize your kitchen easily with our eight simple ideas for kitchen organization."

Click here to get the 8 tips.

United Healthcare To Cover Bilateral Cochlear Implants

"Hearing Loss Association of America is delighted to announce that at the urging of HLAA, United Healthcare, an innovative leader in the health and well-being industry, has reviewed appropriate scientific evidence and changed their clinical policies to allow coverage of bilateral cochlear implants for children and adults."

To read more about this momentous decision, click here.

Late Blooming Perennials for Fall Gardens

"Fall gardens can be spectacular with bold combinations of jewel toned colors. But they do take some planning earlier in the gardening season. Two techniques need to be considered when planning your fall garden."

Click here to continue reading this article.

News10 Hero Central Food Drive Benefiting Raley's Food For Families

"In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for 1 in 8 Americans, hunger is a reality. Many people believe that the problems associated with hunger are confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the country, or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different.

"News10 Sacramento is partnering with Raley's Food for Families and several area radio stations to collect food for area food banks."

Click here for more on the program.

How to Have a God Encounter: Lessons from Emmaus

"In contemporary Christian music, few songs convey the longing for God like Paul Baloche’s 'Open the Eyes of My Heart,' as performed by Michael W. Smith.

Over half of the lyrics consist of the title appeal, followed by the reason for it: 'I want to see you.' The repetition of those simple phrases, over and over, expresses a desire, bordering on desperation, for a life-giving encounter with the risen Lord."

Click here for more on this deep-set desire.

Putty in their paws: Why we do what cats want

Tamara Fox goes to extremes for her cats that she wouldn't dream of for even her best friend.

Dena Harris of Madison, N.C., endures a daily slapping around by her 8-year-old cat, Olivia, who taps her on the shoulder early each morning until she gets up and feeds her.

And Cecile Moore put up with acts of extortion from her cat Henry who regularly sat on the top of the bureau of her Athens, Ga., home and scooted a bottle of perfume toward the edge until she got out of bed.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Communication key for couples hit by downturn

"For many couples, the financial crisis has come down to a test. How good are they at tackling tough money issues? The question for Lorne Epstein is this: business or pleasure? His wife, Alicia Korten, planned to take about a month off to recharge after more than a year of 80-hour workweeks at the consulting firm ReNual while writing a book called 'Change Philanthropy.' Joining her on the trip would cost him about $2,000."

Click here for more on how communication can make the difference.

Many offer charity gardener help after produce taken again

"Wednesday's story about the pillaging of 72-year-old Joe McCorvey's charity garden struck a real community nerve and inspired readers to send in a small cavalry."


Read more here.

Incredible pictures of 30,000 soldiers recreating Statue of Liberty and other icons of US history

These are the extraordinary pictures of the Statue of Liberty and icons of US history captured on camera by an ingenious Brit photographer - using up to 30,000 soldiers.

Englishman Arthur S. Mole took the pictures of soldiers returning to America after World War I.

Now the unique collection of the remarkable pictures has been brought together for the first time at the Carl Hammer Gallery, in Chicago, USA.

Click here to read the rest of this story and to view the pictures.

Save the Children and T.J. Maxx Launch Back-to-School Initiative

"Starting Aug. 3, sales of T.J. Maxx limited edition, reusable shopping bags will benefit children in need in the United States. For each reusable bag sold, T.J. Maxx will donate one basic item—like socks, underwear or backpacks—to Save the Children's U.S. Programs.

The reusable bags will be sold for $0.99 and are designed with Save the Children original children's artwork. This initiative marks 25 years of partnership for T.J. Maxx and Save the Children."

For more on this humanitarian partnership, click here.

Discovery May Help Treat Obesity

"A new approach to treating obesity has been opened up by a discovery about how the body creates brown fat, the cells that burn white fat and turn it into body heat."


Continue reading here.

Blinded by Nazis, guided by a dog

Max Edelman, a sprightly gentleman with a potent laugh, huge social network and vast array of interests, surges through life. At 86, he figures he's got too much to do to slow down. Blind for decades, he receives a little help from Tobin, a placid black Lab.

Like each of the thousands of service dogs, Tobin has been bred and trained to help keep his owner safe and independent. And like the thousands of people who are paired without charge with a dog, Edelman has undergone training to make the most of the union.

Click here to read more about this story.

Holy Name Cathedral reopens Friday

"Holy Name Cathedral will reopen its doors on Friday for confessions, weddings and worship after a fire erupted Feb. 4 in the cathedral's attic, forcing the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago to close for repairs.

Parishioners who attend the first mass on Saturday will have a hard time knowing which parts of the church sustained damage, said the Rev. Dan Mayall, pastor of Holy Name. In fact, he believes the cathedral looks better than before."

Click here for more on the parish celebration.

Details on Cash for Clunkers

"Driving around in a clunker and ready to move up? Doing so could help the environment and save you up to $4500. Sounds too good to be true? Nope. While there are some caveats and other qualifying restrictions, Congress has rolled out the Cash for Clunkers programs with $1 billion in funding for new car purchases when you trade in your gas guzzling clunker."

Read more details here.

Be Their Guest

Laura's place in New York's Little Italy has a dingy blue bathmat, and she wears a Santa hat. Don's pad in Hell's Kitchen is all white, a cloud with four walls that could be perilous for those with muddy feet and a taste for red wine. Cristina's NoLita studio is flooded with natural light and includes laundry facilities, but the bed is a box spring on the floor. Ricky describes himself as "very talkative" and says, "I LOVE MY WIFE!!," a red flag in a shared-apartment situation. Marissa invites guests to crash on her green pullout sofa in the East Village. It looks cushy, yet I worry that my sleep would be dogged by dreams of swimming in a giant bowl of split pea soup.

Now, Rad's House I could do: The private room in a two-bedroom apartment near Tompkins Square Park comes with fresh towels, kitchen privileges and a pair of brothers who play drums, eat bagels on Sunday and charge less than $100 a night.

I discovered these assorted sleeping arrangements -- and voyeuristic snapshots of New York apartments -- not on a "Roommate Wanted" corkboard at a local market but on Airbnb, a nearly year-old Web site that opens doors previously closed to outsiders. The site works like Match.com for travelers, pairing those who need a bed with those who have one to spare.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

As We Forgive: The Mirror of Christ's Love

"This April marked the 15th anniversary of the horrific genocide in Rwanda. But what is happening there now is nothing short of a miracle.

'Can a country known for radical brutality become a country known for an even more radical forgiveness?' That’s the question BreakPoint’s own Catherine Claire Larson asks in her new book, As We Forgive."

Click here to read more about Larson's book.

Highland Park homeowner installs wind turbine on his roof

"Doug Snower's neighbors in Highland Park stared hard when the silver and blue wind turbine first appeared on his garage roof.

While it could pass for a kinetic sculpture, the shiny, spinning device he installed a few weeks ago has generated low-voltage electricity and a steady hum of conversation."

For more on Snower's device, click here.

A survivor's journey

The story of Anne Frank has resonated around the world. A teenager in Holland during World War II, Frank, her family and another family hid from the Germans in the attic of an office building until their hiding place was betrayed and the eight people in hiding were sent to concentration camps, where most of them — including Anne — died. During their time in hiding, Frank kept a diary that has since become world-famous.

But few people know her family's story also has roots in Tuscaloosa.

Years before the Jewish population in Germany was attacked in the Holocaust, Rabbi Davin Schoenberger married Anne Frank's parents at his synagogue in Aachen, Germany.

Click here to find out more about Rabbi Davin Schoenberger.

Zion National Park to Mark 100th Birthday This Friday

"If you've already made plans to be in Zion National Park this coming Friday you'll be able to join in celebrating the park's 100th birthday. And if you haven't made plans, think about altering your schedule."

Click here for more details.

Astronaut John Grunsfeld followed his dream to space

"Like a lot of boys growing up during the space race, John Grunsfeld was fascinated by astronauts. But even then, as a 7-year-old back in 1965, the lengths to which Grunsfeld pursued his dream of space travel set him apart.

There was the canister vacuum cleaner strapped to his back for an air tank. The old ice cream container, tweaked with an innovator's eye to serve as a space helmet. The times spent sitting alone in dark closets, practicing for the isolation of space. And at one point, there was the ill-advised test flight off the kitchen counter of his Hyde Park home in the belief that flapping his arms would keep him aloft, a giant leap born of faith and focus that left the boy dazed but hardly deterred."

Click here to read more about how Grunsfeld's dream came true.

Sowing seeds of change

"Will Allen believes healthful food grows healthy communities.

Allen is an urban gardening crusader, an advocate for food programs that bring fresh produce and other nutritious options to people in inner cities and other underserved areas."

To read more of this story, click here.

News10 Tools for Schools School Supply Drive

"Kids are going to school without the supplies they need. Often it's the teachers themselves that spend the money to make sure their students have what they need. But we all can be heroes!

News10 has teamed up with Office Depot, Schools Financial Credit Union and the California Highway Patrol for News10's Tools for Schools. Be a hero and visit any of our participating sponsors and drop off school supplies."

Click here to learn more about how a television station is working to make a difference for children.

Chemistry in a Cone

In June, the Cold Stone Creamery chain introduced a new ice cream that doesn’t melt. The dripless ice cream comes in two flavors, Butterscotch Velvet and Chocolate-y Goodness. It takes a second to process this. Melting ice cream is an immutable truth of summer, a symbol of the fleeting nature of the season itself. How did they do away with one of the frozen treat’s most fundamental properties? Welcome to the weird science of ice cream.

Click here to read the rest of this story.

Kmart brings back blue-light specials

"Attention Kmart shoppers: Blue-light specials are back. Again.

The discount chain is reviving the gimmick that became famous for creating bargain-hunting mayhem. But this time blue balloons instead of an oscillating blue bulb will alert shoppers to the aisle where a few products are on sale for an hour."


Click here for more on the return of the Blue Light Specials.

Make Your Child Thirsty... for God

"Children are spiritual beings. That means they, like us, seek to know their Creator. They will ask naive questions or give confused answers in their quest to know Him. Their questions, misunderstandings, and doubts are not stumbling blocks, but invitations to spiritual growth."

Read the rest of the article here.

The Evils of Twitter and Facebook

Interacting online is bad, bad, bad. It is impersonal, and you only do it because you are shallow and like to avoid real life-to-life interaction.
In fact, in the past two months I’ve heard this at least a dozen times from conference speakers and pastors, or I’ve read it in books, magazines or blog posts. It seems to be a belief people are increasingly adopting.

Great article in Collide Magazine.

Little Is Left Today of the Cold War's Most Famous Monument

As the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall looms, some locals wonder if they could have taken better care of one of the world's best-known monuments. Less than a quarter of the Wall is under historical protection and you can find more pieces of it overseas than in Germany.

On their first visit to Berlin a group of young Irish tourists decide to check out the East Side Gallery. They travel to where tourist maps tell them the gallery is and spend the next hour wandering along what appears to be a busy highway flanked by a graffiti-covered wall. "Where's this so-called gallery?" they curse, before giving up and heading back into the center of Berlin for more productive sightseeing.

There's some embarrassment later on when they find out that the big concrete wall they were walking alongside is actually one of the most important monuments of the 20th century, symbol of the Cold War and global shorthand for, firstly, political oppression and then, peaceful revolution. Yes, the Berlin Wall.

Click here to read the rest of this story.